Samsung has arrived in the smart ring market with the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy Ring. It offers a host of different health and fitness tracking features, in a compact form factor that's much less obtrusive than a smartwatch.
Here we've pulled together everything you need to know about the Galaxy Ring, from how much it's going to cost you, to the features you get in return for your money. If you're thinking about investing in one, this should help you make a decision.
You can read our hands-on Samsung Galaxy Ring review here, while you should also be aware of the best smart rings offered by Samsung's competitors, so you can make sure you're picking the one that's right for you.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: Cut to the chase
- What is it? Samsung's first-ever smart ring
- When is it on sale? July 10 for pre-orders, released July 24, 2024.
- How much will it cost? $399 / £399 (Australia TBC)
- What will it feature? All the fitness tracking you would expect, plus added AI
Samsung Galaxy Ring: Specifications
| Component | Samsung Galaxy Ring |
| Price | $399 / £399 / around AU$750 (AU prices TBC) |
| Colors | Black, Titanium Gold, Titanium Silver |
| Material | Titanium |
| Weight | 2.3g (size 5) 3.0g (size 13) |
| Battery life | Up to 7 days (ring), up to 6 charges (cradle) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Sensor array | PPG, accelerometer, skin temperature |
| Water resistance | 10ATM |
| GPS? | No |
Samsung Galaxy Ring: Price and release date
Now unveiled in full after being teased in February earlier this year, the Samsung Galaxy Ring is available to buy from July 24, 2024. Whatever size of ring you go for, it'll cost you $399 / £399 (that's around AU$750, though pricing in Australia is to be confirmed). You get the ring and its charging case for your money.
How does that match up to its major competitors? Well, the third-generation Oura Ring is perhaps the best-known rival to the Samsung smart ring, and that will set you back $299 / £329 / AU$599. However, you do really need a subscription to make the most of the Oura Ring, and that's $5.99 / £4.99 / AU$9.99 a month after the first six months.
None of the features of the Samsung Galaxy Ring are locked behind a subscription, and Samsung hasn't intimated that one is going to be introduced anytime soon. You will need the Samsung Health app on your smartphone though, so the Galaxy Ring is best paired up with one of the best Samsung phones.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: Design
There's only so much variation that's possible with a smart ring, and the design of the Galaxy Ring doesn't offer too many surprises in that regard. It's made from super-strong titanium, with a width of 7mm and a thickness of 2.6mm. It's available in standard US ring sizes from 5 to 13, with the weight ranging from 2.3 grams to 3 grams accordingly.
Before you get your smart ring delivered, Samsung will send you a sizing kit to make sure you buy the right size wearable for your finger. This is standard procedure for smart rings, and prevents you from buying a gadget that isn't actually going to fit.
You've got three different finishes to choose from, which are Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, and Titanium Gold. One design innovation that is here is the use of a concave shape, curving very slightly in on your finger like an hourglass. Samsung says this helps to prevent scratches and wear and tear, as indeed does the use of titanium. It's got 10ATM and IP68 ratings, which protect it against water immersion and dust.
There's no display on the Samsung Galaxy Ring (though there might be on the Galaxy Ring 2), and there are no buttons either – everything is handled through the Samsung Health app, whether you want to check up on battery life or get your daily step count. The ring is IP68 rated for water and dust protection, and is water resistant to 100 meters.
Speaking of battery life, the Galaxy Ring comes with a square charging case that's not unlike the kind of box you would put an engagement ring inside (though perhaps a bit more techy in style). The box is transparent, and is the same no matter which color of ring you order. The case itself charges up via a USB-C cable or wirelessly.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: Sensors and Hardware
Samsung has made the Galaxy Ring to be the sort of device you set up and then forget about, just like all the best sleep trackers. It'll work in the background taking measurements of your steps, heart rate, workouts, and all the other basic tracking you'd expect. Blood oxygen and skin temperature can be recorded too.
The Galaxy Ring monitors your sleep as well, which Samsung is promoting as one of the key features of the wearable. As with the Galaxy Watch 7, you get a wealth of insights into your sleeping patterns, and an assessment of your sleep chronotype – the type of sleeper you are, essentially, which is represented by a cute animal.
Walking and running can both be logged automatically, while other types of activity have to be manually recorded. Again, that's done using the Samsung Health app, where you can also record information on your dietary habits and any medications you're taking.
Something more out of the ordinary you can do with the Samsung Galaxy Ring is to use it as a gesture control device for a connected Galaxy phone. You can, for example, wave to dismiss an alarm or pinch your fingers together to take a photo – it's a little something extra that might make you choose this over another smart ring (and might make you stay in the Samsung ecosystem).
As for battery life, the battery capacity depends on the size of the ring you get, and can vary from 18mAh to 23.5mAh. The charging case, meanwhile, has a capacity of 361mAh. On its own, the ring can last up to a week between charges, while the case gives you an additional 5-6 full charges on top of that.
AI and features
Samsung stuffed a whole host of Galaxy AI features into the Galaxy S24 phones earlier this year, so it's perhaps no surprise that the Galaxy Ring has been given some artificial intelligence tricks as well.
First up there's an Energy Score, which uses AI algorithms to crunch the data being logged by your wearable (including activity levels and heart rate), and gives you a better understanding of your overall health and wellness.
You also get a Sleep Score as well, which works in the same way: personalized, detailed insights into what all the numbers in your records actually point to. This is already available on recent Samsung Galaxy watches.
On top of that we have a new AI-powered feature called Wellness Tips: tell the Samsung Health app your goals (like "a more consistent sleep routine" or "better overall fitness") and you'll get some custom advice just for you. The idea is that you can actually act on all the data gathered by your Galaxy Ring.
